The Inkstained Mind: April 2012

30 Apr 2012

Among suits - but not quite one

I've been promoted to Assistant General Manager - Creative Services.

I think it's going to be an interesting hybrid of left-brain Management & right-brain Creative challenges...

I can see in it exciting possibilities to shine the light of rationality into the dark, chaotic recesses of Creative Minds. And to introduce a dash of zany imagination into the process-driven worldview of Management Types!

After all, the conventional frames-of-references in Advertising have already changed. The lines between former silos, like “Strategy and Creative”, “Art and Copy”, “Medium and Message”, have blurred - or disappeared altogether.

The new mantra is both simple and daunting: Deliver measurable value, quickly!

I am going to attempt one more re-invention of myself... And I will call it: "Among suits - but not quite one"

23 Apr 2012

The joke's on you...

There are some servicing guys that I genuinely like, and some that I admire. Then, there are the MBA-pass imbeciles that piss me off...

WHAT IS ADVERTISING?

It's often called the world's second oldest profession.

But while the scope of the oldest one has changed little over time, the evolution in the way we communicate has had profound impact on Advertising.

In the ancient and medieval world, Advertising meant word-of-mouth. In the 1500s with the development of printing it became a 'paid public notice', disseminating the message to many. And it had Copy & Art.

Then came radio, TV, computer, cable TV, Internet, mobile phones, Internet on mobile, and it's still not done... Even what we perceive as 'change' is changing. Continuously.

So what is Advertising today?

Honestly, I don't know.

But I do know from a dozen years evolving with the business, that Advertising is most valued when it can make a tangible difference for the advertiser.

That has not changed. And probably won't.

UPDATE: Nothing's changed. But in a way, everything has.

As you see, my focus has shifted - evolved in a way - to a larger canvas. The shift or evolution was gradual, and may be have been discernable to the more observant reader.

While I was delving into the influence of media in society to better understand how perceptions are created, evolved and disseminated, I chanced upon a thread of knowledge that I frankly never knew existed.

My conclusion is that a deep pool of awareness and consciouness exists beyond the shallow narcissistic boundaries created by the convention view of social media and the Internet.

My aim is to send my readers down any path that can lead to this quenching pool.